Culture
Chagu Chagu Umakko: A Unique Horse Festival in Iwate
The annual horse festival has been held since ancient times as a way for farmers to thank their workhorses and to pray for their health and protection.
Chagu Chagu Umakko is a vibrant horse festival celebrated annually in Iwate Prefecture, with events held in various locations, including Morioka City. On the second Saturday of June, workhorses adorned with colorful accessories and garments parade through both rural and urban areas. The festival is renowned for the distinctive sounds of the bells on the horses.
Thanking the Workhorses
On June 8 in Morioka City, around 70 horses, each carrying children dressed in kimonos, departed from Onikoshi Sozen Shrine in Takizawa City. They slowly marched approximately 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) to Morioka Hachimangu Shrine.
A 12-year-old student from Morioka City was among the children riding the horses. Smiling shyly, they shared, "It was my second time riding a horse. I was pretty high up, but I wasn't scared. I got to see a lot of interesting things."
The festival's name, "Chagu Chagu," is an onomatopoeia for the sound of the bells. This tradition began as a way for farmers to express gratitude and pray for the health and safety of their workhorses. In 1978, the Japanese government designated the festival as an intangible folk cultural asset.
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(Read the article in Japanese.)
Author: The Sankei Shimbun
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